1. Field of the Invention
The present general inventive concept generally relates to a management server, a method of managing a workform, and a recording medium, and more particularly, to a management server to manage a workform using a plug-in, a method of managing a workform, and a recording medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
An image forming apparatus refers to an apparatus that prints printing data, which is generated by a terminal apparatus such as a computer, on recording paper. Examples of such an image forming apparatus may be a copier, a printer, a facsimile machine, or a multifunction peripheral (MFP), which realizes the functions of the aforementioned devices in a single device.
Recently, if a workform, which defines a job to be performed in advance by organizing the job in a single workflow (such as a document sending solution), is executed in the image forming apparatus, the job is performed as it is set in the workform. Thus, the workform contributes to job automation and improvements in efficiency.
The workform allows a user or an administrator to define a job to be performed in advance using an edit tool.
In order to be applied in various work environments, the workform grasps a workflow condition of the job and makes the workflow branch according to the condition. That is, the conditions for making the workflow branch are separately defined as a script and the workflow is controlled by analyzing the workflow and the conditions while the job is performed.
However, if an administrator distributes such a workform uniformly, the administrator has a heavy load in generating a plurality of workforms for various workflows and allowing the workforms to be used.
Also, if the administrator distributes the workform uniformly, the user has difficulty in selecting a suitable workform for each job.
In order to solve the above problems, the administrator defines workflows for various situations in a single workform and writes a condition script so that the workflows branch automatically and thus the single workform is performed in various patterns.
However, in this case, if the workflow is changed or a new workflow is added, there is a problem in that the existing workform should be corrected and the condition script should be re-defined.
Also, as the workflow becomes diversified, the condition script becomes more complicated, and also, the administrator should have expertise in writing the condition script separately.